Omni-directional tread and contiguous moving surface

Abstract

A tire that is capable of moving a vehicle in both longitudinal and lateral directions has been developed. The tire is mounted on a circular hub with a center opening and a concave groove around the outer edge. The groove contains an electromagnetic drive mechanism that provides lateral drive to the tire. An axle that provides longitudinal drive to the tire is attached to the center opening. The tire further includes a surface layer that is in contact the groove of the hub, a belt layer comprising a that is connected to the interior of the surface layer and a bladder located in the interior of the belt layer that provides structural support to the tire so that the tire stays within the groove of the hub when the tire is moving laterally. The tire also includes a pair of rigid roller rings made of incrementally spaced roller bearings. Longitudinal movement of the tire is generated by rotating the axle and lateral movement of the tire is generated by the electromagnetic drive mechanism.

1. A tire that is capable of moving a vehicle in both longitudinal and lateral directions, comprising:
 a circular hub with a center opening and a concave groove around the outer edge of the hub that contains an electromagnetic drive mechanism that provides lateral drive to the tire, where the center opening is attached to an axle that provides longitudinal drive to the tire; 
 a surface layer comprising a contiguous surface that is in contact with the ground and the groove of the hub; 
 a belt layer comprising a plurality of interlocking flexible rings, where the belt layer is connected to the interior of the surface layer; 
 a bladder located in the interior of the belt layer that provides structural support to the tire so that contact is maintained with the groove of the hub when the tire is moving laterally; 
 a pair of rigid roller rings each comprising a plurality of incrementally spaced roller bearings, where the roller rings are attached around each edge of the groove of the hub and are in contact with the surface layer; 
 where longitudinal movement of the tire is generated by rotating the hub, the surface layer, the belt layer and the bladder in conjunction with the rotation of the axle; and 
 where lateral movement of the tire is generated by rotating the surface layer and the belt layer around the bladder and the groove of the hub with the electromagnetic drive mechanism. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus that is capable of omni-directional movement, comprising:
 a belt layer comprising a plurality of interlocking flexible rings; 
 a contiguous surface layer comprising a laterally inelastic and longitudinally flexible material that surrounds the exterior of the belt layer, where the interior the surface layer is connected to the belt layer; 
 a bladder located in the interior of the belt layer, where the bladder provides structural support for the belt layer and surface layer; 
 a hub that is in contact with the surface layer and is connected to an axle; and 
 where longitudinal motion occurs as the bladder, the belt layer, the surface layer, and the hub rotate together, and where lateral motion occurs as the belt layer and the surface layer rotate around the bladder. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the bladder is filled with gas. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the bladder is filled with a polymer material. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the interlocking rings of the belt layer are coated with a low friction material to reduce the torque required for later motion. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the laterally inelastic flexible material of the surface layer comprises metal. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the laterally inelastic flexible material of the surface layer comprises a mesh. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , where the mesh comprises a fabric. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 2 , where the lateral motion is induced by a plurality of electromagnetic curvilinear motor drive rings located around the hub and in contact with the surface layer. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus that is capable of omni-directional movement, comprising:
 a belt layer comprising a plurality of interlocking flexible rings formed to allow a prescribed amount of longitudinal degree of freedom while restricting the rotational degree of freedom completely; 
 a contiguous surface layer comprising a laterally inelastic and longitudinally flexible material that surrounds the exterior of the belt layer, where the interior the surface layer is connected to the belt layer; 
 a hub that is in contact with the surface layer and is connected to an axle; and 
 where longitudinal motion occurs as the belt layer, the surface layer, and the hub rotate together, and where lateral motion occurs as the belt layer and the surface layer rotate within the hub.